Pete interview in Omaha World-Herald

[Brian Cady]

http://tinyurl.com/wdoul 

Legendary Who Returns to Omaha After 40 Years 
By Niz Proskocil, Omaha World-Herald, Neb.

Dec. 3--Musically ambitious, widely influential and notoriously intense, the Who has given fans four decades of adventurous, thought-provoking music.

In 1967, the British rock group brought Omaha a chaotic live show that one local reviewer described as boasting a sound that reached "bone-vibrating intensity."

Nearly 40 years later, numerous generations have embraced the Who's music. The group's guitarist, Pete Townshend, is regarded as one of the finest songwriters of his era.

As the legendary rockers plow through one of their lengthiest tours ever -- in support of "Endless Wire," the Who's first album of new material since 1982 -- local fans will have another chance to experience the explosiveness.

In an e-mail interview, Townshend, 61, shared his thoughts about the bond he shares with singer Roger Daltrey, the connection with audiences and what it's like to be touring after all these years.

Q: It's been nearly 40 years since the Who played in Omaha. What can fans expect at your concert here Dec. 7?

A: We're 40 years older, for starters. Two men down, two to go. Send the chopper. Since we played in Omaha, I have written most of the classic rock that the fans will know and love, excluding a few early songs like 'Can't Explain' and 'My Generation.' We play a lot of classic stuff and about 10 new songs, but don't panic. Six of those are the mini-opera 'Wire & Glass,' and that fairly flies by. The shows so far have been pretty good. Anyone who sees me after one of them tells me they've been a part of something special. This is all about the audience, really. We just show up and do our thing.

Q: How is world tour 2006 going?

A: It's going very well, better than ever. I am fit, Roger looks fit. We do pretty well. I enjoy it. It's so much easier than it used to be. You'll probably find that in Omaha in 1967 someone took the time to stop me in the street and tell me to get my hair cut. Today they will stop me to tell me I changed their life, that my music got them through hard times, and how is Roger doing, like we are the family friends, or even like the local physician or priest.

Q: What is the onstage relationship with Roger like these days?

A: Never been better. We are dependent on each other like never before, but feel lucky to be alive and to have each other. He's doing great work on this tour. Even when his voice is a little sore or raw, he sings my songs as though his life depended on it. It is moving and humbling to me to see how hard he works to get the songs across.

Q: How are the new songs from "Endless Wire" translating in a live setting?

A: They work very well. It is hard for the audience to settle down and listen to completely new music, but audiences have been really generous about this. A couple of the songs are performed by Roger and myself alone, and what that does is concentrate their focus. It's quite wonderful.

Q: Multiple generations of fans attend Who concerts. What is it about the Who's music that resonates with a wide audience?

A: Don't the older ones just drag their kids along? There are lots of younger fans at our shows, but our main audience is still those between 35 and 60. If younger ones come, it might be as part of the pursuit of legend. Of course, what they will discover is that the legend is carried by the older ones around them, not the old guys on the stage. So all they ever had to do was ask their folks.

Q: What are your thoughts on new technology such as Myspace, blogs and webcasting? It looks like the Who has its own Myspace page. Is it an official, band-sanctioned site?

A: It's not a band site. The Who don't have one yet because Roger is so backward about the Internet (though we are hoping to put one up together later this year). I have used the Internet intensely for a lot of projects. Lately, I have concentrated on trying to develop live webcasting. My partner, Rachel Fuller, has her own Internet show she calls 'In the Attic,' music and chat, and this seems to me to be a good model.

Q: Bono from U2 has said, "More than any other band, the Who are our role models." Who were your role models?

A: The Rolling Stones at first, and, of course, the Beatles. Then Bob Dylan. That doesn't mean we got close to what they achieved; neither does it mean we wanted to. But the blues artists we listened to were not always very good role models. Sadly, we probably didn't turn out too well ourselves.

Q: As they've done on past tours, the Pretenders are opening for you. Why did you pick the Pretenders?

A: I did not pick them, but their work creates a synergy with the Who that really sets up an electric concert atmosphere for us. Chrissie (Hynde, the Pretenders' lead singer) was making her first Pretenders record with producer Chris Thomas in parallel with me doing the same, so we met early on and had hits at the same time. We are good friends.

Q: What would you like to tell fans in Omaha?

A: If you have not seen the Who before, or haven't seen us since 1967 (in which case you might be a little creaky), don't come with too many preconceptions. Hopefully there will be some magic, and if there is, you will be making it. We will be honored to stand on stage and watch, and, of course, accompany you with some great rock 'n' roll, new and old. I can't wait to see your faces. 

-Brian in Atlanta 
The Who This Month! 
http://www.thewhothismonth.com


 
____________________________________________________________________________________
Need a quick answer? Get one in minutes from people who know.
Ask your question on www.Answers.yahoo.com